FEATURING PHILOSOPHICAL YOUTUBER AND PHOTOGRAPHER, SEAN TUCKER

In this episode, philosophical YouTuber Sean Tucker is back to talk with me about the parts of creative life we don’t often say out loud, anxiety, self-doubt, the “Is it good enough?” spiral, and what to do when you feel like giving up. It’s an honest, uplifting conversation about the why behind the work, and how we find our way back when the spark dims.

From the mailbag, Paul Friday swears by checklists as an antidote to anxiety (with proper ticks, not the woodland kind), Lars Hegaard introduces a book that might just change your shelf forever, and Jason Ingram prompts me to consider the real nature of importance. Plus, Valérie Jardin returns for Teach Me Street, and we’ve got June’s One Word Assignment from Paul Hutson.

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MORE ABOUT names, words, THE MUSIC and places FROM TODAY’S SHOW

Ernst Becker’s The Denial of Death argues that much of human behaviour is shaped by our need to suppress the fear of mortality, building symbolic lives, through culture, achievement, and belief, to shield ourselves from the inevitability of death.

Alan Schaller is the co-founder of Street Photography International, he has been instrumental in promoting and supporting the work of emerging street photographers worldwide.

Jason Ingram is based in Bristol and photographs plants, gardens, food and people for magazines, books and advertising.

Raghu Rai, the first Indian photographer to join Magnum Photos, is renowned for his powerful, intimate documentation of India’s political, cultural, and spiritual life over five decades.

Jane Bown CBE was an English photographer who worked for The Observer newspaper from 1949. Her portraits, primarily photographed in black and white and using available light, received widespread critical acclaim, and Lord Snowdon has described her work as "a kind of English Cartier-Bresson.”

In Ronnie’s Story, photographer Mark Seymour uses deeply personal, empathic photography to chronicle his father’s battle with dementia, revealing moments of warmth, humour, loss, and enduring love across a poignant four-year visual narrative. Also see the film made with Mark, produced by Neale James.

William Albert Allard: Five Decades is a comprehensive collection of his work for National Geographic, spanning fifty years of documentary photography that captures everyday life with honesty, colour, and a strong sense of place.

Sir Don McCullin is a legendary British photojournalist celebrated for his gritty, haunting black-and-white images of war, urban poverty, and conflict, from Vietnam and Biafra to Northern Ireland. He transformed global awareness of human suffering while later finding solace in serene, albeit dark landscapes.

The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande is a sharp, practical read about how something as simple as a checklist can save lives, reduce errors, and bring clarity to even the most complex tasks, from surgery to daily menial tasks!

Big Jack Johnson was a powerhouse of the Mississippi Delta, blending raw blues with jazz-inflected guitar work and a voice that carried both grit and soul.

“Hands have stories to tell, and I find them fascinating.” This is the ongoing series, referenced by Valérie Jardin in Teach Me Street this month.

Kelvin Brown’s flickr Photowalk inspired group - join by invite by clicking on to THIS LINK.

MUSIC LINKS: Ian Post wrote today's playout song Wings of Imagination. Music on the show is sourced primarily from Artlist and also features in Michael Brennan’s Spotify playlist GoFoto. For Apple Music users, follow this playlist.

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SEAN TUCKER

Photographs by Sean Tucker, my interview guest tonight. Photographs copyright. Not to be reproduced or used without express permission from the photographer.